A Change of Fate
by Kaccee
Summary: James Potter went out for a pint the night of October 31st...
1. We Are Born, We Live and We Die

We Are Born, We Live and We Die

James Potter kissed his son's sleeping head and walked quietly into the kitchen. There she was; the light of his life, his true love, the best thing to ever happen to him. He walked up behind her and pinched her bum. She laughed and turned to face him. He grabbed her sides and started tickling her.

"James, stop it! Stop it!" She laughed as she fought to get away. He chuckled and pulled her closely to him.

"I love you, you know."

"I know. So where are you fellows off to tonight?" She asked a smile still on her face. "Did Sirius and Ally break up again?"

"Yes. He wants to wallow in a pint, so we're meeting up at the Leaky Cauldron with Remus and Peter."

"Ah, the Marauders together once more."

"As always." He said with a little bow. She giggled and ruffled his hair.

"Well have fun, and say hullo to them all for me." Lily walked over to the counter and picked up a glass of lemonade.

"Will do love." James followed her and kissed both her cheeks and then her lips.

"Go, go, before you're late and I get blamed for it!"

"Alright, alright. Love you." James said with a smile. Lily grabbed his coat and held it up for him to put on. She gave him a hug and a kiss and opened the door for him.

"Love you too." He walked out into the cold night with a smile on his face and his wife's smell lingering on his jacket.

- - - - - - -

"So it's over again is it Padfoot?" Remus asked as he joined the table. Sirius lowered his head closer to his pint of beer; his fifth pint.

"Yes it's over." He said miserably as he let his head fall hard against the table. "She's left me. For good this time I think."

"Why would you say that?" James said.

"Because she said so." James and Remus chuckled and Sirius' head shot up, a hurt look on his face.

"It's not funny."

"Oh my friend…it is funny." Remus said with a smile. "S'about bloody time anyways. You need someone more adventurous. Someone like…Brianna Flynn."

"That Irish girl from Hogwarts?" James asked. "She was two years under us I think." Sirius shook his head.

"She married some muggle…Finnigan I think. They had a kid a year and a half ago."

"Oh." James and Remus said simultaneously.

"Where's Wormtail." James asked, looking at his watch and then at the door.

"He's not coming." Said Remus suddenly. "He told me he had something he had to take care of."

"That's very un-Wormtail…don't you think Sirius?" Sirius just moaned and downed the rest of his pint.

"Oh well." Said Remus, a smile on his face. "We can still make the best of the night." He finished off his pint and called Tom over. "Another pitcher Tom, if you don't mind." James finished his pint and slammed it on the table.

"That's a marvelous idea Moony; if I do say so myself."

- - - - - - -

"_He must have been an admiral a sultan or a king,  
and to his praises we shall always sing.  
Look what he has done for us he's filled us up with cheer!  
Lord bless Charlie Mops, the man who invented beer beer beer  
tiddly beer beer beer."_

The three men sang in unison as they stumbled down the road towards Godric's Hollow. They had their arms around eachother and walked in the middle of the road, laughing and singing until Remus looked up and stopped.

"Oh my god." He said quietly. His mind still muddled, but becoming clearer. "James look." He pointed up in the sky at the dark mark. The snake moved and hissed and its forked tongue teased them. James stood there with his mouth open.

"Lily…Harry." He whispered to himself and he ran down the road.

Remus and Sirius ran after him and they couldn't believe their eyes when they got to the place where the little cottage had once sat. Everything was blown up. Fire was raging in the corner of the lot and James stood in the rubble, holding what Remus and Sirius assumed was his son's body.

"James?" Remus said quietly as he walked over to his friend. Sirius followed and when he looked down into James' arms he saw a very alive and very awake Harry Potter. The little boy's bright green eyes were open, and a new scar was on his forehead, in the shape of a lightning bolt. Sirius took the baby from James' arms and sat down in the rubble. James and Remus quickly started looking for Lily.

James would never forget when he found her body. She was still warm and her eyes were closed. She looked as if she was merely asleep. He cradled her in his arms and rocked her, tears falling down his face. His life would never be the same.

A/N So if you can't tell, this is a story where James Potter did not die at the hand of Voldemort. I was thinking the other day what would happen if James didn't die. In the books we're always told that it was Lily's Love that kept Harry alive. I thought I'd investigate. The plan is to show the few differences in Harry's years at school…as James dying was very inconsequential in the scheme of things. We shall see…we shall see. Tell me ideas and everything. Cheers.

K


	2. November 2nd

November 2nd

"What am I supposed to do now Albus?" James said quietly as he paced around Dumbledore's office. It was the middle of the night. He held a sleeping Harry in his arms.

"James. Voldemort is gone for now. Your son has vanquished him. All you can do is try to have a normal life."

"But Lily is gone too." James said, his voice cracking with emotion. His emotions had been running on full tilt for the past two days. The memorial was to be in three days. He wasn't sure he was ready. "I just feel like when I turn around she'll be standing right there with a smile on her face."

"I'm sorry to say that's not going to happen James." Dumbledore shook his head sadly as the tears poured down James' cheeks. "She was a wonderful woman and she will not be forgotten. She will live on in her friends, her family, her son and most importantly your heart."

"I never knew you to be the sentimental type." Dumbledore chuckled and handed James a handkerchief.

"I'm an old sod, but even I loved someone once, loved her with all my heart. The trouble is…people die, and you have to go on. The trick being never forgetting them for who they were; but not letting your mind make them into what they weren't." James nodded and looked down at his son. Harry was awake now, his green eyes glistening, so like Lily's. "The best thing for him is to have his father." James smiled at the boy in his arms. He was so helpless.

"I don't know if I can do this alone. I wasn't sure I could do it with Lily."

"Your son will be a great wizard James but he needs you." James looked up at Albus, a concerned look on his face. "You can. You just need to believe in yourself…do the best you can. Your friends will undoubtedly help you; which brings me to the unfortunate topic of Peter Pettigrew." A cold and hate-filled look crossed James' eyes.

"That rat. Do with him what you like. I'm so ashamed I once called him my friend."

"Peter made a mistake, as we all do, and he will pay dearly for it."

"He is to go to Azkaban then?"

"Yes. Although he is not receiving the dementors kiss."

"Why not? He deserves it."

"Barty Crouch doesn't agree with you." James scowled. There was a knock on the door and Albus smiled at James.

"I believe the uncles have come to join in the discussions." Sirius and Lupin walked in the door sheepishly.

"Well you two" James said looking over at them with a sad smile. "What's the plan?"

"I think we should leave." Sirius said quickly. Lupin nodded in agreement.

"This is not the environment for Harry to grow up in, being a hero and all that is a little daunting for a child. What do you think Dumbledore?" Albus looked over his half-moon spectacles at the three men in front of his desk. They were so similar to how they had been the first day he had seen them. Sirius confident and excited, Remus reserved with an undeniable intelligence. Then there was James. He had always had a gleam in his eye and a retort on his lips. Now that gleam was little bit duller, Albus worried that he wasn't ready for what lay ahead of him.

"I think you're both right and wrong. Harry needs to be brought up as a wizard; not doing so would stunt his magic growth and cause amazing displays of involuntary magic. But I also do not think the best environment for him is one of Diagon Alley or Hogsmade.

"What are you trying to say Albus?" James asked quietly.

"You will take Harry to a small wizarding village not far out of London."

"Do you want us to make up names and pretend to be people we're not?" Remus asked with a confused look on his face.

"Like the witness protection program for muggles hunted by the mafia?" Sirius said with a little too much interest.

"No." Answered Dumbledore. "I do not want you to lie to anyone about anything. You will all continue your work for the Aurors and the Order but live in better surroundings for a growing boy. I had a place in mind."

"You're thinking of the old Potter place aren't you?" James said, with a look of sadness and anger on his face.

"I was; is that a problem?" James shook his head. Remus and Sirius looked and each other and both walked to James' sides.

"We're ready to go." Sirius said.

"You're coming with me?" James asked, not as surprised as you'd expect.

"Of course." Remus said with a smile. "You don't think we'd let you corrupt this child on your own do you?" Albus chuckled and the three marauders said their farewells and headed out the door. Harry was going to be very important in the scheme of things, he just couldn't let them know that yet.

A/N I know it's short but I couldn't keep going because it would stop making a lot of sense. Hope you like it. Cheers

K


	3. Old Potter Place

Old Potter Place

The 'old Potter place' as James had put it, wasn't dilapidated as you might expect. Nor was it that old. James' father had been a wealthy man in the wizarding world. He had been a judge and had left his fortune and estate to his only son in his will.

James' parents had been killed, by Voldemort a month earlier and the grief of losing his parents hit James hard. The hardest part of it, he told Lily later, was that the last time he had seen his father they been in the middle of a fight about money. Many fights seem to start about money don't they?

James and Lily were well off in raising their son. They both worked as Aurors which offered a high paycheck for such a bad time in wizarding history. But Harold Potter had insisted on giving his son money that James didn't feel he needed, let alone wanted. And the fight they had that day would always hurt and haunt James.

"Dad! Just listen to me for a second please!" James stood across the library from his father.

"I'm listening Jamie."

"Lily and I are fine. Harry is fine. We have enough money saved up to buy him anything he needs."

"And what of the next child? Will you be able to provide it with the same? On your salary? Come on James, let's be realistic."

"Lily only just found out she's pregnant. We have 8 months to worry about that. Please Dad; I don't want your money."

"Jamie. Just take it."

"I hate how you think I need you take care of me. I'm a grown man! I'm married, I have a child. Lily and I can take care of our family."

"But what if you cannot? I only want to provide for my grandchildren. I love Harry, you know I do."

"I know Dad, but he's not your son, he's mine."

"Then just put it in your Gringotts account and let it rust. It'll be there for him when he gets older."

"Dad I don't want your money. And I don't really want to talk to you right now…not about this." With that James had stormed out of his parents' house; not looking back.

The next day they had gotten the news.

As James stared at the house he had grown up in he was filled with so many emotions. The memorial for Lily had been days before and he was still barely getting out of bed. The only reason he was standing outside in the cold November rain was because they were moving. He had also just had to face one of his best friends going to Azkaban for the death of his wife.

"And so many others." He said quietly as he looked up at the house.

It was a large house for him and Harry. It would help that Remus and Sirius were going to be there too, but James was sure it would feel empty without Lily.

Lily.

She had been two months pregnant when she died. They had just found out it was going to be a girl. They were going to name her Nessa.

James collapsed on the grass in front of the house. He couldn't stop the tears. He had a long way to go to heal. He couldn't believe she was gone. Just…gone.

"How are you doing there Prongs?" Sirius said cautiously. He held Harry's hand as they walked slowly up the path. Remus followed with a box in his arms. James didn't say anything.

Harry let go of Sirius' hand and ran towards his father. He threw his arms around his dad as best he could and James' heart broke. He was never going to remember his mother. James picked up his son and placed him on his hip. Wiping the tears off his face he smiled at the little boy in his arms.

"Hey there Ace." Harry just smiled at his dad. "Let's go inside, shall we?"

The house was exactly how James remembered it. It had a large entrance hall with a winding staircase up to the second floor. The kitchen was to the rear and the sitting room to the left. To his right was the library and off the kitchen were the formal dinning room, breakfast nook and the 'family room'. The second floor held three bedrooms and the third floor was a suite.

As James and Harry walked through the house, the memories of James' childhood came flooding back to him. The back staircase where he had fallen and broken his arm; the large backyard where he and his friends had built a make-do Quidditch Pitch; the smell of his mother's perfume and he stepped into the powder room; he remember it all. He was surprised how happy he felt to be back in this place.

"James?" Remus said quietly as he looked at his friend's awed expression. "Prongs?"

"Yea?" James asked, coming out of his reverie.

"Where should we put the boxes?"

Once they had ordered in dinner and put Harry to bed, the three men sat outside on the stairs overlooking the massive property they had moved onto. They each held a beer in their hands and two pairs of eyes were fixed on James.

"So…" Sirius said quietly. "How are you Prongs?" He wasn't trying to be sympathetic, something James was grateful for, he was truly inquiring after his best friend's well-being.

"I'm…" James paused. "I'm in limbo."

"What do you mean?" Remus asked.

"Lily is gone, and I know that, and I've accepted that, but it hurts so much you don't even know." James looked down at his feet and took a deep breath. "But I can't let it hurt."

"Why's that?" Sirius said.

"Because there's a little boy upstairs who doesn't know what's going on. And I'm not going to let him know that his mother was just killed."

"James, are you sure that's a good idea? What are you going to say to the kid as he grows up? That she just disappeared or something? Went out for floo powder one day and never came back? Come on James." Said Remus with an incredulous look on his face.

"That's not what I mean Moony."

"Please elaborate then."

"I just mean, that I can't let Harry know how hurt I am. When I'm upset, he's upset. You saw him at the memorial." It was true. Little Harry had had no idea what was going on when he had sat outside at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His father and his uncles had all been crying. With everyone he knew crying, Harry cried. He wailed and wailed and Remus had to walk him down by the lake to calm him down.

"You don't think he knows already?" Sirius asked quietly.

"Yes and no." James said softly. "He knows that something's gone. She's not there to give him his bath or to read him a bedtime story. But he doesn't know that it's his mother. He doesn't realize that she's dead. He looks for her all the time." James' voice cracked as he said this. He took a deep breath and looked at his friends.

"We all miss her James." Sirius tried to console him.

"There was nobody like Lily." Added Remus as he looked into James' brown eyes.

"And there never will be." James said, smiling sadly. His friends nodded and looked down at their feet. James was right. Lily Potter was one of a kind. Now she was gone.

A/N So a little longer one for you. I promise it won't be so sad for long. I just need to get them all organized into a new life before they can have fun with little Harry and laugh and play and be the wonderful Marauders we all know and love. Hope you enjoyed it because I'm enjoying this random idea that sprung into my brain. Cheers

K


	4. Danny the Dragon Gets the Measles

Danny the Dragon Gets the Measles

James slung his bag over his shoulder and walked towards the front door. Since the start of the war, he'd placed wards around his house to prevent apparition. Now with Harry being the "boy-who-lived" he'd had to increase the security.

James was tired. He'd gone back to work quickly after they'd moved in, anything to keep his mind busy. When things slowed down, all he did was think about her. He didn't want to think about her anymore. He sighed and leaned his head against the door before going in.

He stepped over the threshold and placed his bag on the hardwood gently. Harry should be in bed by now, it was nearly 8. He took off his shoes and started walking towards the kitchen when an earsplitting scream echoed throughout the house. His heart stopped.

"Harry!" He increased his speed when something flashed by and grabbed his legs. A big black dog and a grinning Remus skidded around the corner. James looked down at his legs to see a grinning, panting Harry.

"Daddy!" He said happily as he looked up at his father. He stretched his arms out towards James.

"I think in Harry-language that means 'up'." Said Remus, still grinning from ear to ear.

"You two." James said threateningly. "You two…for God's sake Padfoot, transform! It's hard to take you seriously when you're a dog." Sirius woofed happily and transformed back into his human shape.

"I thought you liked me better as a dog?" Sirius asked the grin still on his face. James scowled and glared as he lifted Harry into his arms.

"You two need to start following some rules." James said sternly. Sirius snorted.

"Alright, dad."

"I'm serious!" Remus and Sirius glanced at each other. Remus raised his left eyebrow.

"Too easy." Sirius responded with a smile.

"UGH!" James huffed as he walked up the stairs to Harry's room. Remus and Sirius laughed and sat down at the bottom of the stairs.

"Alright, so we need to bring out that marauder lurking deep inside of him." Sirius said sighing.

"I'm amazed that we're both still alive living with him in his 'father' mode."

"What about being a parent says that you can't have fun?"

"I think he just wants to be a good example for Harry." Remus said quietly.

"I'd rather Harry grow up to be a marauder than some prissy boy."

"I agree."

"Then it's settled?"

"Definitely."

James sat in the rocking chair he had bought for Lily for mother's day. Harry was nestles comfortably on his father's lap listening intently to the story of Danny the Dragon, one of his favorites. James smiled as the little boy shrieked with delight when Danny learned to fly. Once the story was over, he tucked Harry into bed, kissed his forehead and watched as sleep overcame his son.

Sirius and Remus looked on from the doorway.

"You're a great dad, James." Remus said softly. James turned around with a melancholy smile on his face.

"We know you shouldn't have to go it alone." Sirius added. James walked out of the nursery and down to the kitchen, his friends followed. He sat down at the table and put his head in his hands.

"Is it supposed to hurt this much?" He asked, still looking down at the hard wood of the table. "I see her every time I look at him."

"James…this might be mean, but you need to snap out of it." Sirius said looking over at his best friend. "Your son needs you."

"He needs you to be you." Remus put in after.

"We all love Lily. We all miss her. But you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself. There's a little boy upstairs who loves his father and needs him now more than anything." James glanced up at his two friends.

"Harry's growing up fast and you sure as hell don't want to miss it." Remus said patting James on the shoulder. James nodded. "He deserves the best of you."

They talked into the night and when James made his way up to bed he had made a realization. It was never going to stop hurting. The only way to dull the pain of losing the love of his life was going to be bringing her alive in Harry. He walked into Harry's room and smiled at the sleeping figure clutching onto his stuffed snitch.

James was right. The pain never went away. But every time he looked at his son, instead of being upset about seeing Lily in his eyes, James was comforted. Lily would live on.

The three men and little boy managed to live peacefully and relatively sheltered. From time to time a nosy reporter would try and find the house. Some successful, some not. The worst was a young, unknown witch by the name of Rita Skeeter. She was certain that the 'True Potter Tale' would rocket her to stardom and wherever James turned, she seemed to be right around the corner.

But living so far removed from the Wizarding World did have its advantages. The boys got to play around as much as they wished and the fresh air and large estate seemed to pique Harry's childish curiosity. He wanted to explore everywhere. One night not long after the first snow (and the tiring North Pole expedition that Sirius and Harry headed), the boys decided to call it an early night. James took Harry up to read a story as Remus and Sirius trekked to their own quarters.

James got as far into Danny the Dragon so that Harry was left staring at the page where Danny got the measles. Looking up at his dad, he heard the tell-tale snore of a long day. Harry crawled down off his father's lap and over to his coloring books. Grabbing his markers, he went to work.

When James awoke he found himself still sitting in the rocking chair. He realized that Harry was no longer on his lap and leapt up frantically. Little Harry was asleep on the floor in this Chudley Cannons onesie. James smiled softly and picked up the tyke. Harry's arms clung around his father's neck as he was carried to his crib.

James walked down the stairs knocking on Padfoot and Moony's doors as he went. Today Sirius was going to be left alone with Harry for the day, but everyone needed to get an early start. The sun shone through the frost covered window. Christmas was coming. Christmas without Lily. James' heart leapt into his throat before he heard scuffling at the doorway. He glanced up to see and exhausted looking, pajama sporting Remus…covered in green spots.

James burst out laughing and Remus glanced up from the floor.

"What are you laughing at Prongs? You're the one with green spots all over your face." James ran into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. He too was covered with green marker. He couldn't stop laughing.

Remus joined in and before long the two of them were in hysterics on the floor. Sirius heard the laughter from the stairwell and decided to figure out what was so hilarious. He stepped around the corner and his two best friends looked up at him. Despite the tears in their eyes, they could see the green spots apparent on his face as well and they broke into another round of laughter.

Sirius looked confused, but when he noted the green on his fellow marauder's faces, it dawned on him. Harry had been busy last night.

"Who, what, when?" Remus started to say in-between bouts of chuckling. Sirius just smiled.

"I think mini-Prongs had a long night." They marched up the stairs to find Harry sitting up in his crib with a huge smile on his face. James grabbed his hands only to find the illuminating sign of green ink.

"Oh Harry Potter, you're going to be as bad as your father." Remus said with a smile.

"Not if I have anything to do with it." James replied.

"You're right James. He'll be worse." Sirius said plucking his godson from James' arms and heading down the stairs.

A/N So this took awhile. My apologies. If anyone has some really funny kid stories, feel free to tell me and perhaps I'll be able to use them as something little Harry does. I know it's still moving slowly, but it's starting to pick up. Hope you enjoyed. I'd really appreciate a review. I don't understand how you can put a story on your favorites list or your alert list when you don't even review it. Cheers.

Killuminating HHD


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